Hinge for loose-leaf catalogues or the like



Dec. 6, 1938. I o. FELIX 2,138,847

HINGE'FOR LOOSE-LEAF CATALOGUES OR vTHE LIKE Filed May 27, 1935 PatentedDec. 6, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HINGE FOR LOOSE-LEAF CATALOGUESOR THE LIKE New York Application May 27,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in hinges for loose-leafcatalogues or the like, and more particularly concerns such hinges whichare adapted to be aixed to the margins of catalogue leaves formaintaining the same in position in a loose-leaf catalogue system.

An object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive hinge embodyingmeans engageable with a suitable support and having opposed inl tegralportions arranged to lie on op-posite sides of a leaf, with engagingmeans on these portions including a prong on one portion adapted to beforced into the leaf and bent over into engagement with the otherportion for securely clamping the edge of the leaf margin between thesaid portions, and means supplementing the prong for preventing movementof the hinge relative to the leaf.

A more detailed object is to provide a metallic hinge of this characterembodying a pair of legs joined by an arcuately formed portion forslidable engagement with a supporting rod or the like, the legs beingarranged for insertion therebetween of a leaf margin and havingcomplementary means for effecting a. binding relationship of the hingeupon the margin, including a prong near one end of one leg adapted to-ybe forced through the leaf and then bent over into engagement with theouter face of the other leg to clamp the legs together with the leafgripped therebetween, and an arrangement of complementary means betweenthe prong and the arcuate portion adapted to displace a part of the leafout of its normal plane intol the plane of the other leg as an incidentto clamping the legs, whereby to increase the grip of the hinge on theleaf and prevent relative movement therebetween.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,

in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a hinge embodying the principles ofthe present invention and showing how it may be used in .a looseleafcatalogue system.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the hinge.

in which the hinge may be applied to a leaf.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken substantially along line 4 4 of Fig. 1,and showing the hinge after it has been secured to the margin of a 55leaf.

r Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the manner 1935, Serial No. 23,540

Fig. is a plan view of a blank from which the hinge is formed.

The embodiment of the invention selected for illustration is shown inthe drawing as comprising .a hinge I9 adapted to be aihxed to the marginof a leaf I2 for maintaining the leaf in a given position relative to asupport member such as a pintle I3 of a loose-leaf catalogue system orthe like. To support the catalogue a suit- Y able frame (not sho-Wn) maybe provided having bracketsy I3a for rigidly supporting the pintles in agiven relative position illustrated as upright. This arrangement permitsthe leaf to be swung about the axis of the pintle so as to make eitherside of the leaf accessible, or to expose an adjacent leaf in amultiple-leaf catalogue.

In a preferred form the hinge IIJ is made from flat sheet metal whichmay be stamped out as an elongated, parallel-sided blank lll (Fig. 5).This blank is bent intermediate its ends into substantially U-shape toform a yoke or journal portion I5 of generally annular cross-sectionwhich is adapted to t snugly but slidably about the pintle I3.Projecting from the ends of the yoke are extension portions forming legsl1 and I8, preferably arranged originally in divergent planes so thatthe margin of the sheet I2 may be inserted therebetween (Fig. 3), andbeing adapted to lie in substantially parallel relation on oppositesides of the leaf after being affixed thereto (Fig. 4). Thus, the hingelegs II and I8 will extend longitudinally inwardly of the edge of theassociated leaf margin, and the yoke l5 will lie outwardly beyond andwith its axis parallel with said edge.

Moreover, the ends of the yoke I5 are so related to the side edges ofthe legs Il and I8 that a plurality of hinges may be placed upon asingle pintle with the yokes bearing in freely pivotal endwise relationupon one .another to permit separate swinging of the associated leaveswithout interference between the adjacent hinges. Herein the yoke ispreferably at least as long as the width of the hinge. As a result, thelegs of the adjoining hinges will be maintained out of engagement andwill permit the hinges of which they form part to be freely pivotedindependently.

By Vthe present invention cooperative, interengaging means are providedon the legs I'I and I8 for holding the latter clamped to the leaf, andto hold the hinge and the leaf margin substantially against relativemovement or separation. To this end one of the legs, herein the leg I'I,has a prong I9 struck therefrom near its inner end. The prong is of alength to extend substantially beyond the outer face of the opposite legI8 whenthe legs are in parallel, leaf-clamping relation. As the legs arebrought into clamping engagement on the margin of the leaf, the prong I9penetrates the leaf margin and extends through an aperture or slot 2Dnear the inner end of the leg I8. The end of the prong IS which projectsthro-ugh the slot 20, as indicated at 22, is bent over into engagementwith the outer face of the leg Ill, thus effecting a substantiallypermanent clamping relationship of the legs with the leaf marginsecurely gripped therebetween.

In order further to insure the security of engagement between the hingeand leaf, interengaging complementary means adapted to extend into theplane of the leaf are provided in addition to the prong. Herein aplurality of spaced indentations or nodes 23 and 24 are formed on theleg Il at a point intermediate the prong and the yoke I5 and in asubstantially triangularly spaced relationship relative to the prong.These nodes may be formed by the simple expedient of pressing the metalof the leg I'I out of the normal plane toward the same side as thepro-ng. Complementary recesses may be provided in the leg I8 forreceiving the nodes, the recesses being herein provided by suitableapertures 26 and. 2l. are clamped together the nodes will force marginalportions of the leaf I2 out of the normal plane into the apertures 26and 21 within the plane of the leg IB, thus increasing the bindingaction of the legs and supplementing the prong i 9 in preventingrelative movement of the hinge. In this manner the prong and the nodespositively grip the leaf margin at a plurality of spaced points andsubstantial pulling force may be exerted on the leaf relative to thehinge Without causing the leaf to tear in the area punctured by theprong.

This relationship is particularly valuable where the leaf I2 is to bemounted in a substantially vertical plane cantilever fashion as seen inFig. 1, the nodes 23 and 24 functioning to hold the hinge substantiallyfixedly against rotation about the axis of the prong I9 and henceagainst shifting movement relative to the associated edge of the leaf inspite of cantilever force imposed by the weight of the leaf or otherordinary strains and forces exerted during use.

Application of vthe hinge to the leaf is simply eifected usually beforethe hinge has been positioned on the pintle I3. The margin of the leafmay be inserted between-the divergent legs parallel with the leg I8(Fig. 3) and with its edge parallel to the yoke I5 in spaced relation tothe pintle. Pressure is then exerted to bring the legs toward oneanother and force the prong I9 through the leaf into the slot 2U, afterwhich the end 22 of the prong is bent over to hold the legs in permanentclamped relationship. Simultaneously the force which brings the legstogether presses the nodes 23 and 24 into the leaf thereby causingportions of the leaf to enter the apertures 26 and 27. Thus, the hingewill be practically immovably attached tothe leaf. f

From the foregoing it will be seen thatanefiicient hinge for loose-leafcatalogues has been provided which may be applied securely and easilywithout special tools. When aixed the hinge remains in substantiallypermanent clamping relation to the leaf margin, since the plurality ASseen in Fig. 4, when the legs I'I and I8 of interengaging members whichenter or pass through the plane of the leaf cause the hinge legs toexert a positive gripping action and prevent displacement or relativemovement of the hinge and the vassociated leaf margin.

Cross reference is made to the copending joint application of Hurley D.Ralston and Otto Felix, Serial No. 165,004, filed September 22, 1937,which discloses a novel construction wherein hinges embodying theprinciple of this invention may be used. Reference is also made to thejoint application of said Hurley D. Ralston and Otto Felix, Serial No.198,978, filed March 3, 1938, disclosing a novel method of and means forp-roducing and applying hinges of this character to leaves for use inloose-leaf catalogues or les.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a hinge for loose-leaf catalogues or the like, a substantiallyU-shaped sheet metal member including a pair of elongated legs adaptedto be secured in parallel relationship and extending longitudinallyinwardly of the edge of and upon the opposite faces of a catalogue leafor the like, the outer ends of said legs being connected by a yokearranged to extend beyond and with its axis parallel with the edge ofthe leaf, one of said legs having an aperture centrally therein near itsend remote from said yoke and the other leg having an integral prongextending toward said one leg and adapted to be forced through the leafsubstantially inwardly from the edge thereof into said aperture as anincident to movement of said legs toward said parallel relation, saidprong being of a length to extend substantially beyond the plane of theouter face of said one leg and being bendable to overlie sai'd face forclamping the legsxeclly together with the leaf gripped therebetween,said one leg having a pair of spaced recesses formed one on either sideof the longitudinal center line of the hinge in that part of said oneleg between said prong and said yoke which in the assembled relation ofthe clip with a leaf coacts with the extreme marginal portion of theleaf, and a pair of complementary nodes formed on the opposite leg andadapted to force parts of the leaf into said recesses, whereby saidprong will prevent separation of the hinge from the leaf and said nodeswill coact triangularly with said prong to prevent pivotal movement ofthe hinge thereabout.

2. In combination for use with a catalogue leaf, a hinge adapted forconnecting the rear margin of the leaf toy an upright cylindricalsupporting pintle, said hinge comprising a generally U-shaped sheetmetal member including a pair of elongated flat legs adapted to extendlongitudinally substantially inwardly of the rear edge of said leaf andin opposed parallel relation to grip said rear margin flatwisetherebetween, one of said legs having an aperture near its inner end andthe other of said legs having a prong near its inner end to extendtherefrom through said margin and into said aperture, the end of saidprong being bent over into clamping relation to said one leg, aplurality of spaced indented portions in one of said legs, said indentedportions being located adjacent to and alined to be parallel with saidrear edge and to project toward the opposite leg into the plane of saidmargin to hold the outer ends of said legs against displacement relativeto said rear edge, and a tubular yoke connecting said outer ends of saidlegs on. an axis adapted to extend parallel with said rear edge andcoacting with said prong to hold said legs in margin-gripping relation,said yoke being dimensioned to embrace the supporting pintle slidablyfor pivotal movementJ thereon and having its ends so related to the sideedges of said legs that a plurality of hinges identical thereto may bemounted coaxially upon the pintle in endWise bearing relation and pivotfreely and without interference with the adjacent hinges when separatelyswinging the associated catalogue leaves.

3. In combination with a looseleaf catalogue page having a straight rearedge, a sheet metal hinge including a pair of substantially parallelopposed fiat legs elongated to extend substantially inwardly fro-m saidedge on respectively opposite sides of the associated margin of thepage, one of said legs having aninterconnecting prong at the inner endthereof penetrating the page margin and bent over against the oppositeleg to hold said legs against removal from and permanently in grippingrelation to said page margin, an annular tubular yoke connecting theouter ends of said legs to hold the same in pagegripping relation andlying parallel with said edge of said page, a carrier having an uprightpintle to receive said yoke for pivotally supporting said page in aVertical plane cantilever fashion for horizontal swinging movement withsaid edge in substantially parallel relation to said pintle, and meansextending fixedly between said legs adjacent to said yoke andpenetrating the page margin to hold the hinge xedly against shiftingmovement relative to said edge of the page due to cantilever forceimposed by the Weight of the page or other strains and forces imposedduring use.

OTTO FELIX.

